Oh, I have been off subject (holy living/sanctification) too long.  I had to review; this is what my review looked like.  (You probably do not need to review, but here are the links just in case.)  I first wrote about having too much stuff (wash clothes, forks, books) and about how people tend to forget God when they have too much stuff  here.  

Then here I told about my stunning red nail polish and ask the question, “Does God care what we wear?”

In be holy I stressed God’s command for us to be holy (even as he is holy).  That’s tough but we do not have to do it alone.  Jesus’ blood sacrifice makes that possible; he will help us as we practice our “No” muscle.  We say no to the things he reveals to us to lay aside and we say yes to new habits and efforts to “look like Jesus.”

A bit of discussion next regarding  the way we spend our time, often choosing to entertain ourselves with thoughts unfit for human consumption – the garbage in, garbage out routine.

And last we looked with some anticipation at what Heaven might look like.  Ending with the conclusion:  ‘TIS A SHAME SO MANY EQUATE HOLINESS WITH BOREDOM!

Now let’s whiz back in the Bible to the prophet Isaiah when in his sixth chapter he sees the Lord.  His words reveal how impossible it is to be holy in our own efforts. After years of preaching and serving God, Isaiah has a vision in which he sees God “high and lifted up.” He is stricken with his own impurity as he says, “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, . . . (Is.6:5).

One might question in despair, “If the prophet, Isaiah did not achieve holiness, where will I be?” Only Jehoval-m’kaddesh (God who sanctifies) is perfect in his holiness; therefore, we can only be perfectly holy in Him. However, holiness is only complete in a person to the extent that the person hungers to be like God and cooperates in walking in a holy life style as he puts away negative traits and adds positive traits.

Paul’s message to the Corinthians indicate the change which had come about in their lives. He has been speaking of a list of unholy persons – fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, perverts, and homosexuals – then he says, “And such were some of you but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).

Paul does not indicate that these people are still “working at being set free” from these behaviors; to me it sounds like they have been set free. However, in Romans 7, Paul indicates that he still has a struggle in his walk of holiness, BUT he shows victory in Jesus Christ (verse 25). This confirms a mutual work between Paul’s will and Jehovah-m”kaddish.

Now that bit there in the middle – the last three paragraphs – sounds an awfully lot like theology/doctrine/religious talk which sometimes sounds boring.  Like some folks think Heaven sounds boring.  But trust me, it’s not boring; it’s hard, that’s what it is!  Now is that down home talk okay.  

Good thing is God does not expect you to get all halo-y in an instant.  He just expects you to say something like this:  “Okay, God show me what to do and I’ll try.”  Then you either succeed or you fail.  If you succeed, good – you can pass on to the next thing that needs some polishing or stain remover.  If you fail, you look up and say, “My bad, forgive me and give me a chance to try again.”

Oh, the feel of his hand in yours as you get up to try again….!  Mighty nice Father we have!  I think of a scripture where he says, “It was I who taught Ephraim (Put your name there) taking them by the arms…” (Hosea 11:3) Yes, he will lift you up if/when you stumble. 

REMEMBER THIS – WE ARE LEARNING TO BE HOLY (SANCTIFIED) AS GOD IS HOLY.